Designer shoes and handbags seized from text fraud suspects displayed inside a police evidence storage facility.
Text message scammers involved in large-scale financial fraud are earning tens of lakh INR every month and spending much of it on luxury fashion, according to law enforcement officers investigating smishing crimes.
In an evidence room stacked with seized designer goods, investigators say the volume of luxury items reflects both the scale and profitability of SMS-based fraud. Thousands of shoes, handbags and accessories—worth several crore INR—have been confiscated from individuals linked to financial scams.
“They don’t keep money. They spend it immediately,” said Detective Chief Inspector Paul Curtis, pointing to shelves filled with high-end fashion items gathered during search and seizure operations. Officers estimate that between 8,500 and 10,000 pieces of evidence have been collected from raids connected to fraud cases driven by scam text messages.
Smishing—a combination of SMS and phishing—is a form of fraud where criminals send messages posing as banks, delivery firms or government departments. The texts prompt recipients to click links or respond to security alerts, tricking them into revealing passwords, PINs or authorising bank transfers.
Profits Run Into Lakhs as Messaging Volumes Soar
Police investigations show how quickly smishing operations can generate large sums of money. In one recent case, a fraudster sent roughly 15,000 scam messages over a five-day period. Based on victim losses, investigators estimate the operation could earn close to INR 80 lakh to INR 1 crore per month.
The individual behind the campaign, a student from China operating in London, targeted tens of thousands of potential victims while driving across the city to avoid detection. He was later convicted of fraud by representation and sentenced to prison.
Regulatory data highlights how common these messages have become. According to telecom authorities, nearly half of mobile users reported receiving suspicious messages over a recent three-month period, underscoring the widespread reach of smishing scams.
Victims Left Shaken as Technology Fuels Crime
For victims, the financial damage is often accompanied by psychological distress. One recent target lost around INR 1.45 lakh after receiving a text that appeared to come from his bank, warning of suspicious activity. Within hours, his account was drained.
Smishing groups rely on specialised devices to operate at scale. Sim farms allow dozens of SIM cards to be used simultaneously, enabling mass distribution of scam texts. SMS blasters exploit nearby mobile networks, forcing phones to connect and receive fraudulent messages within seconds.
Authorities say possession and use of Sim farms will soon be banned, a move aimed at dismantling a key tool used by text scammers. The ban is expected to come into force next year and will make unauthorised ownership or supply illegal.
Cybersecurity experts caution that enforcement alone will not eliminate the crime, as many operations originate outside national borders and are difficult to trace. Police continue to emphasize public awareness as the primary defence, warning that legitimate organisations do not request sensitive financial information through unsolicited text messages.
Victims are advised to avoid clicking links in unexpected texts and to report suspicious messages to banks and fraud authorities immediately.
